Hollywood writers have pressed pause indefinitely on some of your favorite TV shows and movies.
The Writers Guild of America, the union representing many of Hollywood’s TV show and film writers, went on strike Tuesday, stating that it is facing an “existential crisis.”
According to USA Today, the WGA board of directors voted unanimously to strike after the guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the nine largest studios, failed to reach a contract agreement.
Here’s what we know about the 2023 Hollywood writers strike, including what TV shows and movies will be affected.
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Why are Hollywood writers on strike?
The writers strike is due to the rise of streaming, which has negatively impacted compensation.
Historically, television writers are paid per episode, which for a broadcast series once included 22 or more episodes per season. But now, streaming series usually produce eight to 13 episodes, meaning writers receive less compensation per season.
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Writers also receive fewer residuals or royalties for streaming shows than broadcast shows because broadcast shows often air reruns on cable or syndication. In contrast, streaming services limit the distribution of their programs to try to keep viewers on their platforms. These issues have led the WGA to ask studios to standardize compensation for screenwriting across broadcast and streaming platforms.
In addition to higher pay, the WGA is also asking for an increase in studio contributions to its pension plan and health fund; mandatory minimum staffing requirements for television series; a minimum guaranteed duration of employment; regulated use of artificial intelligence (AI) on literary material and more.
The AMPTP rejected WGA’s initial proposal and presented a counter-proposal April 30, including increases in compensation and streaming residuals.
What shows will be affected by the Hollywood writers strike?
USA Today reports that late-night talk shows will be among the first programs to be affected by the strike. Included in this are: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and “Late Night with Seth Meyer.”
NBC’s “Saturday Night Live,” which has three episodes scheduled for May, has halted production for the rest of the season, with reruns replacing new episodes.
Daytime soap operas, like “Days of Our Lives” and “General Hospital,” will be impacted, and many will cease production in the next few weeks.
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Most broadcast shows, however, will finish their seasons because many finale episodes have already been written and filmed. But return dates may be put on hold depending on the length of the strike.
Programs on streaming platforms like Netflix, HBO Max and others likely won’t be affected in the short term, but the strike could delay shows that are slated to return later this year and in 2024. Films set to release in 2024 and 2025 may also be affected.
When was the last time Hollywood writers went on strike?
The last Hollywood writer strike occurred for 100 days in 2007 and 2008, leading to an estimated $2.1 billion economic loss in Los Angeles, California, The New York Times reports. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, failure to reach a contract agreement with the AMPTP prompted the WGA to strike.
Many networks were impacted by the strike and were forced to replace scripted TV shows with reality shows due to the production disruption. The strike also impacted many award shows, including the Golden Globes, which was canceled due to picketing threats and celebrities threatening to skip the ceremonies.
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How much do Hollywood writers make?
The national average salary for writers, not limited to but including screenwriters, was $69,510 in May 2021, per the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
